STEVEN PIENAAR is on the brink of a move to Tottenham Hotspur – as David Moyes called on Everton FC to show the passion needed to earn their first Anfield derby win since 1999.

Pienaar has already said his goodbyes to staff at Finch Farm and will move to White Hart Lane provided the Londoners raise their bid for the player to £3m.

Chelsea had a similar offer accepted by the Goodison outift but, after a day of frantic negotiations, Pienaar could not agree personal terms with the Stamford Bridge side.

The South African has instead set his heart on moving to Tottenham, with Harry Redknapp having tracked the midfielder for a considerable time.

Pienaar is out of contract at the end of the season and, having failed to agree a new deal

at Goodison, can walk away for nothing in the summer.

And Moyes, having previously insisted he would not cash in on any of his leading players during this month’s transfer window, admits business sense has now prevailed.

“You get the offer of that money in January and it makes you think,” said the Goodison manager. “Until Thursday we hadn’t had any offers.

“We’ve got a situation now where it would probably be wrong to turn down a £3m offer at this time.”

Pienaar is almost certain to have played his last game for Everton, although, if no progress is made in the transfer over the next 24 hours, Moyes has not ruled out selecting the 28-year-old for tomorrow’s short trip across Stanley Park.

The South African was sent off in last season’s 1-0 defeat at Anfield, one of 12 Everton players to be dismissed in the fixture during the Premier League era.

But Moyes has no qualms with such an approach, and said: “We don’t send our players out to do something illegal, but we want them to be competitive, we wouldn’t want them to play any other way.

“A few of the sending offs I’m not sure they’ve all been correct, but it happens.

“There are moments in derbies that can change entire games, like tackles. We have found it in the past, and I can remember a Gerrard tackle on Gary Naysmith a few years ago – but it’s part of the job and I don’t mind that.”

Both Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher will be missing for Liverpool tomorrow, and Moyes added: “I’ve always thought Gerrard and Carragher are the heartbeat at Liverpool and they keep their club going. They’re a big integral part of what they do, so it’s a loss but they’ll have passed the message on and there are enough experienced players there to understand what it means.

“They’re still a strong side who get big backing from their support. That gives them a massive help.”

Although Everton have not won at Anfield since Kevin Campbell netted the only goal there in September 1999, three of their last five visits have ended in draws.

And Moyes added: “We’ve had some bad things said about our club after some games at Liverpool. But overall I think we’re having a right good go at getting results.

“I can’t bother about Liverpool, except to say I want to give the Everton supporters something to shout about.”